Black Lion Audio, pretty underrated company in my opinion. Really high-quality for a good price. So this is based on a Melcor preamp (predecessor to the API) with a Pultech EQ, and just about every other feature you could want, including a high pass and low pass filter. Don't be afraid of the Pultech, there is a learning curve, but there's some very good videos on YouTube about how to navigate it and once you get it dialed in, you may not want to use any other EQ. There is one small scratch on the top (last pic) and the right bottom rack ear was a little bent, but is structurally sound and flat now.

Eighteen

Single-channel mic/DI channel strip with induction EQ and Cinemag transformers

US PRICE: $899Young brain. Old heart. It’s Eighteen.

The Eighteen isn’t just a response to the fanfare of our Seventeen FET compressor — it’s a part of our dedication to create new homages to our favorite vintage products.

Eighteen starts with a vintage-inspired preamplifier, providing a creamy, yet punchy response. We’ve topped that off with a passive inductor-based program equalizer, and outputs controls for pushing the analog stages to pure overdriven-bliss.

Black Lion Audio’s Eighteen: designed, engineered, assembled, and tested in the USA.

A heart-felt homage to vintage preamps.

Eighteen’s preamplifier circuit isn’t just another clone, but an original design built to pay proper tribute to some of the most classic designs ever made.

The Eighteen starts with a Cinemag input transformer, but that’s far from where the magic stops.

In order to get the absolute perfect sound we were looking to achieve with Eighteen meant a bit more work under the hood. This is where our new BLA1831 custom, discrete op-amp comes into play. Through an extensive period of component matching, we were able to create a custom op-amp that matched the vibe we were aiming for, while still matching a noise floor that is akin to modern equipment.

A timeless, passive inductor equalizer.

Eighteen packs an impressive, original passive inductor-based equalizer, that you’re sure to love. While creating this circuit, we realized that any off-the-shelf inductors simply wouldn’t do. That’s why we teamed with Cinemag to create a custom inductor just for Eighteen!

The results are amazing; a quiet and ultra-flexible equalizer that packs all of the vibe of your favorite program-style EQs. Eighteen features 2 bands of EQ, as well as a low-pass shelving filter.

Technical Documentation

• Eighteen Owner's Manual
• Eighteen Product Brochure

• Preamp TypeSolid State Induction EQ Preamp
• Number of ChannelsSingle channel
• Phantom PowerYes
• Polarity SwitchYes
• EQ2-band EQ, Lowpass Shelving, 80 Hz Highpass, 10 kHz Lowpass
• Analog Inputs1 x XLR
• Analog Outputs1 x XLR
• Rack Spaces2U
• Power SourceStandard IEC AC cable
• Height3.5″
• Depth6″
• Width19″
• Weight14.5 lbs.